Indonesian envoy, Tunisian grand imam discuss inter-mosque cooperation

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian Ambassador to Tunisia Zuhairi Misrawi met with Grand imam of Zaitunah Mosque in Tunisia Syaikh Hisyam bin Mahmud on Sunday to discuss cooperation between Zaitunah Mosque and Indonesia’s Istiqlal Mosque. “Tunisian ulemas, particularly the grand imam of Zaitunah Mosque, had shown interest in establishing cooperation with mosques in Indonesia to strengthen religious moderation,” Zuhairi noted in the press statement of the Indonesian Embassy in Tunis received in Jakarta on Tuesday. During the meeting, Zuhairi proposed the establishment of cooperation between the Zaitunah and Istiqlal Mosques since they are the respective symbols of the two countries.
“I am very glad to be received by the grand imam of Zaitunah Mosque in his very historical room. The mosque is more than 13 centuries old. It is one of the oldest mosques in the world,” he remarked.
He noted that Zaitunah Mosque had produced great ulemas, such as Ibnu Khaldun, Ibnu Arafah, Hudhair Husein, and Muhammad Thahir bin ‘Asyur.Meanwhile, Syaikh Hisyam praised Indonesia as a predominantly Muslim country that is known for being moderate and prioritizing morals. “I always admire the moderation and noble temperament of Indonesian Muslims. I want the cooperation between the Zaitunah and Istiqlal Mosques to really come true in the future,” he remarked.